Returning from the mountain, the three of them walked through the night streets of Thaad, their footsteps echoing softly against the worn cobblestones.
The city lights were softer here, lanterns casting long amber pools across the street, their warm glow spilling over the stone and illuminating the path ahead.
Benjamin, Heka, and Erica—now dressed again as the man Eric, his masculine disguise firmly back in place—moved at a tired but steady pace, their bodies weary from the events of the evening but their minds still alert... until a familiar voice called out between hiccups, breaking the quiet of the night.
A drunk Aria, the dwarf, stood swaying slightly near a corner post, her droopy eyes struggling to focus on them through the haze of alcohol that clouded her vision.
Her body listed to one side, then the other, as she fought to maintain her balance against the stone post that supported her weight.
